Reason and Romance (River Valley Book 1) Read online

  He’d hit the mark because she’d lost her appetite. She usually forced down some food during lunch time because people’s eyes were on her, but she’d skipped dinner last night. She’d also skipped breakfast this morning.

  “I’m not hungry,” she said. “Really, I’ll be fine.”

  He chewed harder on his lip. “Um. I can write a fake pass, so you don’t have to go to your classes today, if you don’t want to. I got a stack of ‘em,” he said, patting a pocket somewhere low on his body. “Fake passes, I mean. You know, those slips you can give—”

  “Yeah, yeah, give me one,” she said. It was a good offer because she’d just caught a glimpse of her tear-stained, makeup-smeared reflection. She couldn’t walk into class without everyone knowing she’d spent the last hour crying. Better that they thought she was a cold bitch. It was the only thing she had left.

  “Okay.” Travis fumbled with his pocket and pulled out a pass. “It’ll work. I haven’t been caught yet. I can drop it off for you,” he said, swinging his legs out. “I’m going back to school anyway.”

  Her smile became genuine. “That’s decent of you. Thanks.” She could go home early and crawl into bed, then return when she felt better.

  He stopped suddenly. “Hey, hey, hey! Dude, I’m so stupid. I didn’t even think about it. Want to go with me?”

  “Go where?”

  “To the party tonight. It’s gonna be big and awesome. Might even get arrested.” Travis shifted his weight. “Everybody’s gonna be there. I can introduce you around.”

  “I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “Dude, no, you have to come. It’ll make you feel better.” He flashed a winsome smile. “Your ex-boyfriend’s fucking another girl, right? So fuck that fucker. Move the fuck on with your life, yeah? He’s moved on. Now you move on.”

  It wasn’t the most imaginative speech she’d heard, but it made her catch her breath. That was the problem, wasn’t it? Everyone had moved on while she stayed in her rut. This was what she had been reduced to: poor little Adrian Blake crying her eyes and her heart out over a boyfriend who’d tossed her aside like old garbage.

  She half-closed her eyes, but she could still see the sun, bright and relentless. Was she really going to stay home and cry herself to sleep? She’d bet Jason hadn’t given her another thought. He’d be with Stephanie tonight.

  Her smile was now fierce. “Yeah, I’ll go with you.”

  Watch out, boys and girls, she thought. Adrian Blake had taken a savage beating, but by God, she wasn’t down and out. The world was going to be so very, very sorry.

  CHAPTER SIX

  She sauntered into the backyard with Travis as her escort. The white jean skirt rode low on her hips, grazing the tops of her thighs. It didn’t have a hem, so the trailing strings drew attention to places she normally didn’t want it to be drawn.

  Her top wasn’t any better. The bright red halter was so low cut that she hadn’t been able to wear a bra, the neckline plunging into a V. It was sheer lace everywhere except the bust, but even then it gave the impression that you could see more than you should. The outfit was completed by tall, strappy sandals and a hip necklace that accentuated her cleavage. And there was a lot of it.

  She had no idea who lived here—Travis had reeled off a name that held no meaning for her, probably one of the senior jocks—but even though the ranch-style house was one of the smaller houses on the block, the backyard more than made up for it. There were dozens and dozens of people milling around. Even better, the yard was fenced with only one gate that everyone had to use, so she couldn’t have wished for a more perfect spot to showcase herself.

  The noise level seemed to drop considerably as people turned to look at her as if they’d never seen her before. They’d spent the last few days gossiping about her or pretending she didn’t exist, but now they were staring openly.

  “Who the hell is she?” someone said.

  Her smile blossomed slow and arrogant. Oh, you’re about to find out.

  Another time, another place, she might have been appalled by her behavior since this wasn’t something she would normally do, but tonight, there were no rules. Maybe if she stopped thinking, she wouldn’t hurt so much.

  “Show me around, Travis,” she purred. “Let’s have some fun.”

  Undeterred by everyone’s attention, Travis was bouncing up and down on his toes. “Okay, let’s get some beer first.” He guided her to the kegs. “See, I told you this was a good idea.”

  It really was. If not for him, she would have gorged on ice-cream and pigged out in her oldest sweats, but now she was poured into an outfit that would make eyebrows rise.

  This is what you’re missing out on, Jason. I don’t need you; I never did.

  A few people drew back from her as if she had cooties. “Who invited her?” one of them said loudly in Adrian’s hearing.

  Her smile hardened. If they wanted to kick her out, they were free to do so, but she hadn’t seen any gold-plated invitations. Until then, they would just have to live with her presence.

  The kegs were situated near the rectangular pool, not that far from the house, but in order to get to them, Adrian had to walk around the backyard with Travis. If the vultures wanted a show, she’d give them one. She looked good, and she damned well knew it. So she sauntered toward the guys manning the kegs, as if she didn’t have any care in the world, her hips swaying in a dangerous motion.

  “You want anything?” one of them said when she approached.

  She lazily drew a finger from the base of her throat down to the V of her halter. As if by magic, the guy’s eyes followed the progress. “Mm, I want a drink. It’s so hot here, don’t you think?”

  “Um, yeah.” He fumbled with the drink. “Uh … you want anything else?”

  “Maybe later, baby.” The endearment tripped off her tongue easily, even though she’d never really used one for Jason.

  Stop thinking about him!

  She gave the guy another cool smile. “So you just head over and give me a drink every now and then. Don’t be a stranger, hmm?”

  Much to her amusement, the guy actually blushed. Even the tips of his ears were red when he handed her the cup. Was it really that easy?

  Travis was grinning like crazy when he led her away. “Dude, you’re bad,” he said happily. Like her, he’d gotten a drink. “Who do you want me to introduce you to?”

  “You’re my guide. What do you think?”

  He rubbed his chin as he scanned the backyard. “Well, there are some kids from the drama club over there. The marching band by that group of chairs. A few people from the school newspaper.” As he spoke, he pointed them out.

  Adrian glanced in each direction he indicated. Some kids were looking back at her. There was that Asian girl from the AP English class. She had a pair of capris and a light camisole that she covered up with a cute summer jacket. Her almond-shaped brown eyes were serious as she gave Adrian a look-over. Then she shook her head and turned back to her friends, bottled water in hand.

  “That chick’s Devon Kim,” Travis volunteered. “She works for the school newspaper. Do you want an introduction?”

  “No.” Adrian shifted her attention before she could let the social rejection hurt her. “I’m not in the mood for chitchat.” Her gaze roamed around the backyard, sizing up the male population. “How about some guys?”

  “How about Justin Latimer? He’s one of Montgomery’s best friends, and if he accepts you, that puts you at the top. You want to try him?”

  A line creased between her eyebrows. Funny, Alex had said the same thing. She’d rejected his patronizing advice at the time, but if Travis reiterated it …

  “Latimer’s really nice,” Travis added. “Even I like him!”

  She was about to turn him down, but she hesitated. Justin had helped her out in AP English earlier today, hadn’t he? Even if he’d had an ulterior motive, he still had done it anyway. And he had tried to invite her to hang out with him and his frie
nds. Maybe she owed him for that one, and if so, she didn’t like owing anyone.

  “All right,” she said.

  Hunting Justin down was easy enough. He was surrounded by a few guys Adrian vaguely recognized as athletes. They all had that lean-boned structure, so they were probably basketball players or something. There was still so much she didn’t know about her new school yet.

  “Hey, Latimer,” Travis said. “You’ve met Adrian?”

  Justin shifted his weight. “Um, yeah, we’ve met.” He glanced at her and then just as quickly, he glanced away. A flush crept into his cheeks. “You look nice, Adrian. Uh, you want a drink?”

  His discomfort was so palpable that she bumped his shoulder gently. “I already have one,” she said, lifting the cup. “I just wanted to thank you for jumping in—you know, saving me from Mr. Melbourne.”

  He shot her a quick, tentative smile. “I didn’t really do anything. We had him as our Honors English teacher last year.”

  “He always sneers at me when he sees me in the hallways,” Travis put in.

  “Yeah, well, if Alex hadn’t pissed him off …” Justin nodded toward a group milling near the pool. Even from here, Alex was unmistakable. “I’m going over there. You guys want to come with me?”

  Adrian shrugged. “Mm, no. You know how to dance?” She didn’t wait for his affirmative reply before handing her barely touched drink to Travis. She pulled on Justin’s hand and tugged him toward the grass.

  A few people were dancing already, but they made room for her and Justin almost as if they sensed her dangerous mood. Someone changed the music, and she coiled her arms around Justin’s neck. She didn’t have time to wonder why she’d brushed off his suggestion so quickly because the music was starting.

  With her eyes locked on his, she started his complete and total annihilation. The curve of her breasts brushed against his chest. Her hips swayed and grinded; her hands slid over his back and slipped under his shirt. Her mouth was a whisper against his. Every time he tried to close the gap, she moved her hips, teasing him.

  She ended up in a tangled vise with him. Her back was to him, her arm snaking upward and around his neck. His hand glided over her stomach. He was breathing hard against her neck, and reveling in it, she laughed softly.

  Confidence thrummed through her blood. This was what she had been born to do. This was what Jason was missing out on.

  Still laughing, she half-closed her eyes. As she lowered her eyelashes, she peeked out at the backyard. Oh, she’d attracted attention, and plenty of it. No one was dancing anymore, just her and Justin. People had actually gathered around the edges of the lawn, so they could get their little voyeuristic show. Travis was standing off to a side, absorbing everything with a wide grin.

  An unexpected thrill ran through her when she lifted her head—and stared into Alex’s eyes. Yes, this was why she hadn’t wanted to go over to him …

  He hadn’t left his position near the pool, but despite his surrounding posse, he raised his water bottle in a salute, acknowledging her presence. Mandy Fitzpatrick was with him, her hand resting possessively on his chest. Quentin Maxwell was in the middle of the semicircle, gesturing with his hands. The more he talked, the more the others laughed, even Grant Darlington.

  And yet Alex smiled only at her.

  She was dancing with Justin, their bodies winding as one, but Alex was openly watching her, making no pretense of it. Strange, that. It wasn’t the first time she’d been subjected to his attention, but there was something different about him tonight. Or maybe she was the different one tonight.

  Sparks electrified her skin. Even as she gave into the fevered sensation of music and heat, she couldn’t seem to escape those green eyes.

  When the song ended, it was almost a shock. She was suddenly herself again, but even as she freed herself from Justin, she couldn’t be embarrassed. The magic had mostly dissipated, but there was enough left.

  Sweat beaded Justin’s forehead. “Damn,” he said, managing a smile. “That was, uh—that was amazing. You like to dance, huh?”

  Maybe it was the sight of Bri Latimer’s scowling face that aroused her latent sense of mischief, but Adrian couldn’t help reaching out and trailing a lazy hand over his chest. “Oh, I love to dance,” she said slyly. “Come see me later if you want to.”

  “Yeah, I’d like to—ow!”

  Bri had stomped over to her twin brother’s side and yanked on his arm before he could even finish the sentence. “I need him,” she growled. Her hazel eyes snapped with barely restrained temper. “Excuse us.”

  Then it was Adrian’s turn to be grabbed.

  “Dude, that was awesome!” Travis said with such glee that she had to grin. “Everyone is talking about you, Adrian! Bri Latimer totally hates you now. She was talking to her friends about how you were toying with her brother.”

  Adrian glanced at the siblings now a few feet away. Bri was talking to Justin, probably giving him hell, but really, he was a big boy.

  Travis nodded at someone behind her back. “Maxwell’s heading your way.”

  She didn’t know whether to be pleasantly or unpleasantly surprised. Quentin had been so damn rude that she still fumed over his stupid “bang her like a screen door” comment. He hadn’t been any better on the first day of school either. Granted, he hadn’t said a word to her after that, but he’d developed a habit of leering at her daily.

  When Quentin turned up, he proved he hadn’t changed. His gaze immediately dropped to her cleavage. “Baby, if you wanted an invitation, you only had to let me know,” he said, not even bothering to say hello. “You want to take the party somewhere more private?”

  “Oh, I don’t think you can handle me tonight. Let’s go, Travis.”

  Quentin caught her arm. “Don’t leave yet. Come with me.”

  “Travis goes where I go. We’re friends.”

  “Yep,” Travis said. “We’re a package deal, Maxwell.”

  Quentin raised an eyebrow. “If that’s the way it is.”

  Even so, his amused disdain was clear enough that she bristled. Yeah, Travis was a stoner, but so far he had been true to his word. He’d picked her up at the house, so they could drive to the party together. He hadn’t tried to paw at her, not once.

  Quentin herded them over to Alex and his group, and this time she didn’t fight the inevitable. Maybe if she seized the advantage, she could just get it over with.

  Adrian sauntered toward Alex until only a few centimeters separated them. “Looking good there, brother dear,” she drawled. She slapped his ass, which she had never, ever done to a guy before. “I’d give you a twenty.”

  Dead silence.

  Had she wished for a better reaction, she couldn’t have gotten one. Jaws dropped and eyes bulged. People gasped and blushed. In the end, there was really only one reaction that mattered, and everyone glanced his way.

  Alex’s eyes narrowed and Adrian saw his daredevil smile. “I think I merit more than a twenty, but I’d rather have a kiss instead. You up to it, sister dear?”

  She smiled at him. If he thought he could psych her out, he was so sadly mistaken. “Oh, I am. Are you up to it?”

  Hatred blazed from Mandy Fitzpatrick like a raw, living thing. “That’s Alex you’re talking to! Leave him alone.”

  “I feel like being a bitch tonight.”

  They were all standing in a loose circle, but from the corner of her eye, Adrian could spot a crowd of people unsubtly drifting closer, so they could eavesdrop. Justin and Bri were now working their way through the crowd, Bri with a sour expression.

  Mandy ignored what Adrian had just said. “Leave him alone,” she repeated, her chest heaving with every word. “If you don’t, I’ll make your life at school way more fucking miserable more than it is!”

  Adrian’s eyes never left Alex’s. “Insecurity is so unbecoming, Mandy.”

  “You can’t have him!”

  Alex shook his head and smiled. “Your boyfriend’s pretty insecure from wh
at I recall. What would he say if he knew what you’re doing now?”

  It had finally dawned on Mandy that no one was paying her any attention. “Just fuck off!” She grabbed a cup of beer from someone.

  There was a screech.

  Everyone stared at the liquid dripping down her face. And then everyone stared at the empty cup in Travis’s hand.

  “You’re supposed to melt,” he said winsomely, “like that Wicked Witch.”

  Screaming curses, Mandy launched herself at Travis. He danced out of her reach with a surprising nimbleness that Adrian wouldn’t have thought he was capable of. He darted behind Quentin and beckoned at her.

  “Let’s book it!” he said.

  Deprived of him, Mandy turned onto Adrian. “It’s your fault!”

  Justin jumped between them. He grabbed Mandy’s arms and spun her around, locking her wrists, so she couldn’t flail anymore. “Calm down!” he shouted. Above her head, he shot Quentin an exasperated glance. “Stop laughing!”

  Mandy was Alex’s hookup or girlfriend, or whatever the hell she was, so by all rights, he should be the one comforting her. Or alternately, rushing to beat Travis up for his insolence. And yet he was still looking at Adrian, a smile toying with his lips.

  Heat pooled in her stomach at the intensity in his gaze. As she held his eyes, hers roamed over his face. Like that online picture she’d seen, he wasn’t wearing anything special, but as strikingly attractive as he had been in that one, it was just an image. This was real life, and if he wasn’t her future stepbrother—

  “Alex!” Mandy cried out.

  And he was with Mandy tonight. That fact was one that not even Adrian could dispute, so she turned away and left with Travis. As exits went, it was a fairly good one, what with everyone watching them.

  “Well, that was interesting,” she said to Travis. “We should do it more often.”

  He chortled. “Man, that was some spiffy shit! No one will talk to us on Monday.” His wide grin belied his worried words. “We’ll be, like, the most hated people in school.”